At each stop on their Tour of Mostly-Empty City Plazas, the National Organization for Marriage pays far more time and attention to those protesting them than they do to their own supporters. If the protest is unruly, they make a huge stink about how they are being their denied their right to free speech (not subjected to criticism) and being shouted down by those who have talk about tolerance but have no tolerance (for NOM’s intolerance).

HCR even speculated that their sole purpose for the tour was to find someone out there who would threaten them and justify their efforts to keep their donors and supporters anonymous.

But while NOM unquestionably delighted in the Providence rally at which a few equality activists stormed the podium and gave them good video and were even pleased by their ability to edit the tape of the Madison rally so as to make it appear that protesters were deliberately screaming at and booing a priest while he was praying, I don’t think they much will enjoy the counter-protest planned by Stand-Up Florida for their Orlando stop.

Once at the protest, guest speakers will speak words of wisdom from their hearts. We have a great host of speakers attending this counter protest and the Angels from the Angel Action Network will also appear to block the N.O.M. protesters from our counter protest. We will be working in conjuction with a group, Come Out Orlando.

We also will be offering candles for a vigil and for those who would like to kneel down and pray with us in a silent prayer for N.O.M.

I just don’t think that NOM has much use for video of their opponents singing Amazing Grace. And they certainly don’t want news cameras contrasting their supporters in their lawnchairs with ernest gay and gay-supporting people in silent prayer. It makes it hard to claim that you are the good guy.

I believe this is the same rally that was originally planned for Tampa but moved to Orlando.

I can only surmise that NOM made this change because they came to realize that Tampa had a large, well established, strongly organized, activist gay community with determination. I guess they didn’t look at the map to see that Orlando is less than 2 hours from Tampa. A very short road to travel to gain so much more.

I am sure their press release (if there was one) has a different reason though.

@Bernie – “HCR” is the Human Rights Campaign, an organization based in D.C. that advocates mainly LGBT equality rights in all levels of law making and serves as a watch group for fairness by private businesses in their stated policies and actual treatment of LGBT citizens.

I can only surmise that NOM made this change because they came to realize that Tampa had a large, well established, strongly organized, activist gay community with determination.

More likely because a lot of the American Christian missionary industry has relocated to Orlando in the past 15-20 years. It’s closer to Africa and has a much lower cost of living than Southern California- which has been overrun by liberals.

This is the difference between a thoughtful and effective protest developed by people who understand that what feels good is not what’s always most effective vs. a “feel good” but thoughtless and ineffective campaign waged by people with no experience but lots of enthusiasm. I LOVE those people with little experience but lots of enthusiasm; they just need to be taught how to direct that enthusiasm in the most effective ways.

Left-wing Democratic party front that refuses to use the word gay or lesbian despite the fact that it’s supposed to be a gay rights group. Gets sidetracked by non-gay related issues like abortion, so it often turns off gay conservatives/moderates/libertarians. Has spent hundreds of millions of dollars with practically nothing to show for it. Famous for high staff salaries, lavish beltway parties, and brownnosing Democrats.

This protest is theocentric. I can see the value of telling NOM they do not have a monopoly on faith; but this is part of a broader pattern that is ignoring the section of the LGBT movement that is not Judeo-Christian (the same thing is true of its opponents, may I add).
It would help if the prayer were recognized as a portion of the protest, and the umbrella protest focused on secular values of love and sexual freedom.
I also feel that “Amazing Grace” is something of a cop-out; it is a catch-all song that was composed by a slave trader (he repented, but later).

Funny the last minute move of an entire rally. Just more evidence of the true intent of the tour…trying to get footage of them being “threatened and intimidated,” and nothing to do with having an actual successful rally.

I think that is a good plan for the Orlando event. However, what you can expect to see and hear from NOM is an increasing level of hate speech and actions to attempt to bait and antagonize the counter-protesters. My suggestion would be to have the counter protest in a completely different area. Their bus driver (apparently assigned the task of trying to get a rise from the counter-protestors) will be walking the line, and can easily find some young, enthusiastic person from whom he can get a rise.

Seriously, this tour thing came up right after the loss of their first suit to keep the donor list secret, when the only course of action left was to try for an exception based on fear. So they have to gin up evidence of potential violence and intimidation. So the timing makes it obvious, but so too do the results. They have no one at these things, yet don’t seem to care. All it would take is one or two advance people hitting up the right churches, and they could eaily get out at least 100 or so. They don’t care what the attendance is for their rallies, it’s who they can attract in counter-protest.

Then, at each and every rally are the reports that the bus driver guy has had the camera out, always pointed on the counter-protestors (never at NOM’s rally), and that he has actually baited a few of the counter-protesters.

I think perhaps that you are not recognizing the emotional connection of the song Amazing Grace to the movements in the United States for people seeking civil equality.

And while it is true that John Newton was a slaver, he did not “repent, but later.” But the time of the writing of Amazing Grace in 1779 he had changed. In fact in the 1780’s he became an ardent abolitionist who worked with William Wilberforce. (This is particularly relevant, because Brian Brown compares himself to Wilberforce at every NOM stop).

Like We Shall Overcome, this song is evocative of both spirituality and of legitimate social grievance, two ideas that NOM is trying to claim monopoly upon. And I am certain that Brian Brown will freak – he’s undoubtedly convinced that the song belongs to his side.

You make a good point about NOM seeking to instigate conflict. But that is what the Angels are for. They wear large wings which physically separate NOM from the counter protest until such time as the protest wants to be seen. (If you saw the movie The Laramie Project, you saw their work)

I’m just trying to remind everyone involved that any tiny thing NOM can latch onto as an intrusion or interruption will be inflated and reported as threat equal to armed insurrection.

I was reading one of their posts this weekend going on and on about protestors shouting to drown out the Lord’s Prayer. I wasn’t there, don’t know if it’s true, but you can bet a lot of “good Christian folks” reading that took great offense to it, and it does not help our cause.

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